Since 2004 Te Aroha Noa Community Services has made a commitment to building practice teaching and research capacity to advance its own capacity to innovate, and also to make a wider contribution nationally and internationally. In the future it is hoped that this work will be formalised into a Practice Research and Teaching Centre. Te Aroha Noa has been greatly assisted in moving towards this goal by developing a strong research partnership relationship with Professor Robyn Munford and Dr Jackie Sanders of the School of Health Sciences, Social Work and Social Policy. Te Aroha Noa has an active practice teaching programme which makes significant contributions to academic and inservice development at Massey University's Social Policy and Social Work Programme and the Bethlehem Tertiary Institute. It also contributes to the development of innovative practice by contributing workshops at several National Conferences each year.
Related Research
Price Waterhouse Coopers, Adult and Community Education, Economic Evaluation of Adult and Community Education Outcomes June 2008.
Current research interests include refining our understanding of how community led development initiatives can address complex issues such as family violence. By adding a research dimension into an innovative family violence initiative Te Aroha Noa Community Services aims to understand the most effective ways of launching and sustaining over time, complex community development initiatives that are located in the family violence arena.
Research Publications
Maden, B. "God is in the Neighbourhood - Equipping community to become 'aware of their awarenesses' Spiritual direction, a practice uniquely equipped to infuse community development". (2006) www.sgm.org.nz
Munford, R. Sanders, J. Maden, B; "Small steps and giant leaps at Te Aroha Noa". International Journal of Child Youth and Family Welfare. Vol.9, June 2006. http://www.cyc-net.org/journals/ijcfw-9-1.html
Munford, R. Sanders, J. Maden, B. Maden, E; Blending Whanau/Family Development, Parent Support and Early Childhood Education Programmes". Social Policy Journal of New Zealand, Issue 32, November 2007. http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/journals-and-magazines/social-policy-journal/spj32/32-pages-72-87.doc
Sanders, J. Munford, R. Maden, B; "Community Centre Practice. Identifying small steps on the way to change" in Berry, M. (Ed) "Identifying Essential Elements of Change. Lessons Learned from International Research in community Based Family Centres". (2007) Belgium: Uitgeverij Acco Press. p. 113-124.
Sanders, J. Munford, R. Maden, B. "Sensitive Outcomes in Community Practice". In Berry, M. (Ed). "Measuring Proximal and Distal Outcomes in Family Work - International Perspectives". (2007). Belgium: Uitgeverij Acco Press.
Handley, K. Horn, S. kaipuke, R. Maden, B. Maden, E. Stuckey, B. Munford, R. Sanders, J; "The Spinafex Effect, Developing a theory of change for communities". Families Commission Innovative Practice Fund No 4/09 February 2009.
http://www.familiescommission.govt.nz/research/the-spinafex-effect
Sanders, J. Munford, R. Maden, B. "Enhancing Outcomes for children and young people: The potential of mulit-layered interventions". Child and Youth Services Review 31 (2009) 1086-1091.